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Meta
Autor: Writer
~ 08/12/06
Two-thirds of Costa Rica’s 4,500 kilometers of roads are in bad or “regular” shape, according to a study presented yesterday by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in the eastern suburb of San Pedro.
The study, carried out by the university’s nonprofit National Laboratory of Structural Materials and Models (Lanamme), found that during the past two years, road infrastructure has not shown any improvement; on the contrary, 2.5% of the country’s roads have deteriorated so much they are now unusable.
Engineer German Valverde explained at a press conference that 32.7% of the nation’s roads, spanning 1,474 kilometers, are full of potholes, making them difficult to traverse.
Another 32.6% are in “regular” condition,” while only 32.1% are in “good” shape, meaning they can be driven on comfortably. Meanwhile, 114 kilometers, or 2.5% of the country’s roads, are so damaged they could not be studied.
Lanamme also evaluated the structure of highways that support trucks carrying heavy loads. It found that 33.9% were in bad shape, 51.8% were in regular shape and 11.6% were in good shape.
Vice-Minister of Public Works and Transport Pedro Castro said the government is aware of the severity of the country’s road woes, and has doubled the budget for road maintenance and reconstruction from $70 million to $140 million for 2007.
According to Castro, $70-$80 million of these funds will go toward road maintenance, while the rest will pay for highway repairs.
-ACAN-EFE
Autor: Writer
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
The payment of mandatory annual Christmas bonuses, or aguinaldos – a Costa Rican December tradition right up there with tamales and La Noche Buena – has begun, creating a cash craze evident yesterday in long lines at automatic teller machines and packed stores.
By law, all employees in Costa Rica are due an aguinaldo, which is calculated by dividing the employee’s total yearly income by 12, Labor Ministry spokesman Geovanny Díaz explained.
Some public employers began paying the bonuses at the beginning of the month, and all ministries paid their employees’ aguinaldos Wednesday, Díaz said. Private employers have until Dec. 20 to pay the bonus or face penalties.
Many flocked to ATMs Wednesday and yesterday to withdraw their cash, a trend the Public Security Ministry says it prepared for by stationing extra police in the streets and warning citizens to watch out for theft.
“As part of our end-of-the-year operative, we’ve given a lot of advice about how people can take care of their money,” said Public Security Ministry spokeswoman Ingrid Luna.
The ministry’s recommendations include not going to the ATM alone, only carrying the amount of cash one plans to spend that day and remaining cautious while carrying shopping bags.
Private employees with questions about their aguinaldo can call a hotline set up by the Labor Ministry, 800-TRABAJO. Public employees should consult their office’s human resources department with questions or concerns, Díaz said
Autor: Writer
~ 07/12/06
President Oscar Arias met with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush yesterday at the White House in Washington D.C., and the two leaders told the press after their 45-minute meeting that education and the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) were among items they discussed, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.
Arias spoke to Bush about his administration’s “dream and determination” to increase the amount Costa Rica spends on education from 6% of the gross domestic product (GDP) to 8%.
Arias also asked Bush to pardon the more than $104 million Costa Rica owes the United States to allow Costa Rica to instead invest these funds in education and environmental protection.
Bush lauded Arias for his emphasis on education and said he would “investigate whether or not the United States can help.”
CAFTA, backed strongly by both Presidents, was another topic of conversation. Bush remarked that “trade is the best way to help reduce poverty around the world,” while Arias boiled down why he feels CAFTA is crucial for Costa Rica.
“My country is a small country – we produce what we do not consume, and we consume what we do not produce. This is why trade is so important to us,” emphasizing that his administration is determined to approve the agreement as soon as possible.
Arias remarked that he was “familiar” with the Oval Office where the meeting took place, having met in the room with former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Bush’s father, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. However, on those occasions, he was at the White House to discuss Nicaragua, not Costa Rica, he said.
Arias was accompanied during the visit by Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno, Housing Minister Guillermo Zúñiga, Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Minister Marco Vinicio Ruiz and Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles, while at Bush’s side were U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Ambassador to Costa Rica Mark Langdale and Press Secretary Tony Snow, according to the statement.
-Tico Times
Autor: Writer
~ 06/12/06
MOPT will begin construction next week on a tunnel similar to the one near Parque de La Paz (Desamparados exit on the beltway). The Comptroller has given the green light on the project which will be executed by Sanchez y Carvajal. The tunnel will carry traffic in three lanes each way.
Vehicle flow should not be affected, as the company will build detours during the construction process.
Autor: Writer
According to the Economist, Costa Rica ranks first in Latin America. The study called the Democracy Index and devised by the Economist Intelligence Unit tracks 60 indicators across five broad categories: free elections, civil liberties, functioning government, political participation and political culture.
The Economist editor stated that “Free elections and civil liberties are necessary conditions for democracy, but they are unlikely to be sufficient for a robust democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and at least minimally efficient government, adequate participation in politics and a supportive culture. It is not easy to build a sturdy democracy. Even in long-established ones, if not nurtured and protected democracy can corrode surprisingly quickly.”
At number 25 overall, Costa Rica falls within the 28 democracies categorized as “full democracies”. 54 countries are rated as “flawed democracies”, including Panama (44), Honduras (69), El Salvador (70), and Guatamala (77). At number 89, Nicaragua was classed as a “hybrid regime”.
Scandanavian countries topped the list, and Canada placed 9th overall. The US and Great Britain, traditionally considered the top democracies were surprisingly low at 17th and 23rd respectively.
Autor: Writer
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
Mario Zamora, who heads the country’s troubled General Immigration Administration, has announced significant changes designed to take the heat off of his organization as it undergoes an overhaul – and keep its users out of day-long lines.
Regional Immigration offices are soon to open outside San José, and early next year, Costa Ricans will be able to obtain or renew their passports at Banco de Costa Rica offices. As soon as July, foreigners seeking to renew their residency permits will be able to do so at the bank as well, eliminating lengthy trips to Immigration headquarters, Zamora told The Tico Times yesterday.
What’s more, an executive decree soon to be published in the official government daily La Gaceta will automatically renew, for one year, foreigners’ cédulas (id cards) that expired between Dec. 1 of this year and July 1, 2007. The decree also applies to foreigners whose cédulas expired before Dec. 1, but who are still waiting for a renewal appointment. Waits for such appointments can last up to 10 months (TT, Sept. 29).
This decree has already decreased the once-massive lines of foreigners at Immigration headquarters in La Uruca, in western San José – giving the institution’s personnel much-needed time to continue organizing the chaotic paper filing system, Zamora said. The next step will be computerizing the system so that nationals, then foreigners, can conduct most Immigration paperwork at Banco de Costa Rica. (The process will start with 29 Banco de Costa Rica sites in early 2007, then increase to 70 by year’s end and 180 in 2008, he said.)
Autor: Writer
~ 05/12/06
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
As the results from the municipal elections continued to trickle in yesterday, it became increasingly clear that Sunday was a very good day for the National Liberation Party (PLN) and a bad day for voter turnout.
The green-and-white party, which started the year by winning the presidency, as well as more legislative seats than any other party, in February’s national elections, continued its sweep by winning
58 of the 81 mayoral seats, according to preliminary counts at polling stations. At press time, 4,686 stations had reported their rates, with 166 to go.
The official manual count begins today and will take approximately two weeks, Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) spokesman Cedric Solano told The Tico Times.
Approximately 24% of eligible Ticos turned out to vote, which represents a 1% increase from the 2002 municipal elections.
Those who turned out cast their votes for a significant change in the political makeup of the country’s mayors, reflecting national trends. The Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), which dominated the municipal scene from 2002-2006 with 48 mayoral seats, retained only 11, while Liberation shot up from 27 to 58.
The Citizen Action Party (PAC) won four seats, the Libertarian Movement won one, and the National Union Party (PUN) won two. The Union for Change party, which was unsuccessful in its presidential and legislative bids in February, won the Montes de Oca race, with former Labor Minister Fernando Trejos taking over the eastern San José suburb. Rounding out the results were four local parties.
Leading the Liberation charge was San José Mayor Johnny Araya, who, despite corruption allegations, won a second term by a landslide; at press time, the vote count showed him with 69.03%.
Solano said the results of the manual count are likely to be very similar to the preliminary results.
Voters also elected other municipal and district officials, filling more than 4,000 positions; the new officials take office Feb. 5.
*Preliminary results with 4,686 polling stations counted and 166 still to be counted. Listed in order released.
Autor: Writer
Here are the preliminary results from the TSE
SAN JOSÉ
• Central
Name: Johnny Francisco Araya
Party: PLN
• Escazú
Name: Jorge Guillermo Fonseca Picado
Party: PAC
• Desamparados
Name: Maureen Fallas Fallas
Party: PLN
• Puriscal
Name: Jorge Luis Chaves Gutiérrez.
Party: PLN
• Tarrazú
Name: Iván Suárez Sandí
Party: PLN
• Aserrí
Name: Mario Morales Guzmán.
Party: PLN
• Mora
Name: Gilberto Monge Pizarro.
Party: PLN
• Goicoechea
Name: Óscar Enrique Figueroa Fieujeam
Party: PLN
• Santa Ana
Name: Gerardo Oviedo Espinoza
Party: PLN
• Alajuelita
Name: Tomás Poblador Soto
Party: PLN
• Vásquez de Coronado
Name: Leonardo Herrera Sánchez
Party: PLN
• Acosta
Name: Ricardo Durán Gamboa
Party: PLN
• Tibás
Name: Leonardo Fallas Mora
Party: PLN
• Moravia
Name: Alejandro Hidalgo Carballo
Party: PLN
• Montes de Oca
Name: Fernando Trejos Ballestero
Party: Unión para el Cambio
• Turrubares
Name: Xinia Madrigal Bustamante
Party: PLN
• Dota
Name: José Valverde Monge
Party: PLN
• Curridabat
Name: Édgar Mora Altamirano
Party: Curridabat Siglo XXI
• Pérez Zeledón
Name: Rosiblel Ramos Madrigal
Party: PUSC
• León Cortés
Name: Leonardo Quesada Durán
Party: PLN
TOTAL:
PLN: 16
PUSC: 1
PAC: 1
Curridabat Siglo XXI: 1
Unión para el Cambio: 1
HEREDIA
• Central
Name: José Manuel Ulate Avendaño
Party: PLN
• Barba
Name: Mercedes Hernández Méndez
Party: PLN
• Santo Domingo
Name: Raúl Isidro Bolaños Arce
Party: PLN
• Santa Bárbara
Name: Rolando Hidalgo Villegas
Party: PLN
• San Rafael
Name: Alberto Vargas Esquivel
Party: PAC
• San Isidro
Name: Elvia Villalobos Arguello
Party: PLN
• Belén
Name: Horacio Alvarado Bogantes
Party: PUSC
• Flores
Name: Jenny Alfaro Chaves
Party: PAC
• San Pablo
Name: Aracelly Salas Eduarte
Party: PUSC
• Sarapiquí
Name: Pedro Rojas Guzmán
Party: PLN
Total :
PLN: 6
PUSC: 2
PAC: 2
CARTAGO
• Central
Name: Alberto Rodríguez Brenes
Party: PLN
• Paraíso
Name: Marvin Solano Zúñiga
Party: Movimiento Libertario
• La Unión
Name: Julio Rojas Astorga
Party: PLN
• Jiménez
Name: Jorge Solano Herrera
Party: PLN
• Turrialba
Name: Luis Alfonso Pérez
Party: PLN
• Alvarado
Name: Ángel López Gómez
Party: PLN
• Oreamuno
Name: Gerardo Granados Torres
Party: Unión Nacional
• El Guarco
Name: William Cerdas Garro
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 6
ML: 1
Unión Nacional: 1
LIMÓN
• Central
Name: Eduardo Barboza Orias
Party: PLN
• Pococí
Name: Enrique Alfaro Vargas
Party: PLN
• Siquirres
Name: Édgar Cambronero Herrera
Party: Asociación Cantonal Siquirres Independiente
• Talamanca
Name: Óscar Bonilla Umaña
Party: PUSC
• Matina
Name: Lorenzo Colphan Reid
Party: PLN
• Guácimo
Name: Gerardo Fuentes González
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 4
PUSC: 1
Asociación Cantonal de Siquirres: 1
PUNTARENAS
• Central
Name: Agnes Gómez Franceschi
Party: PLN
• Esparza
Name: Dagoberto Venegas Porras
Party: PUSC
• Buenos Aires
Name: Primo Feliciano Álvarez Guevara
Party: PLN
• Montes de Oro
Name: Álvaro Jiménez Cruz
Party: PLN
• Osa
Name: Jorge Alberto Cole De León
Party: PLN
• Aguirre
Name: Óscar Octavio Monge Maykall
Party: Organización Laborista de Aguirre
• Golfito
Name: Jimmy José Cubillo Mora
Party: PLN
• Coto Brus
Name: Rafael Ángel Navarro Umaña
Party: PUSC
• Parrita
Name: William Carvajal Campos
Party: Renovación Costarricense
• Corredores
Name: Gerardo Ramírez Barquero
Party: PLN
• Garabito
Name: Marvin Elizondo Cordero
Party: PLN
Total
PLN: 7
PUSC: 2
Organización Laboral de Aguirre: 1
Renovación Costarricense: 1
GUANACASTE
• Liberia
Name: Carlos Luis Marín Muñoz
Party: PLN
• Nicoya
Name: Lorenzo Rosales Vargas
Party: PLN
• Santa Cruz
Name: Jorge Enrique Chavarría Carrillo
Party: PLN
• Bagaces
Name: Luis Ángel Rojas Madrigal
Party: PLN
• Carrillo
Name: Carlos Gerardo Cantillo Álvarez
Party: PLN
• Cañas
Name: Kattia Solórzano Hernández
Party: PLN
• Abangares
Name: Jorge Calvo Calvo
Party: PLN
• Tilarán
Name: Jovel Arias Ortega
Party: PUSC
• Nandayure
Name: Luis Gerardo Rodríguez Quesada.
Party: Unión Nacional
• La Cruz
Name: Carlos Gonzaga Martínez
Party: PLN
• Hojancha
Name: Juan Rafael Marín Quirós
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 9
PUSC: 1
Unión Nacional: 1
ALAJUELA
• Central
Name: Joyce Zürcher Blen
Party: PLN
• San Ramón
Name: Eladio Carranza Picado
Party: Solidaridad Ramonense
• Grecia
Name: Giovanni Arguedas Quesada
Party: PLN
• San Mateo
Name: Erwen Yanan Masís Castro
Party: PUSC
• Atenas
Name: Wilberth Aguilar Gatjens
Party: PUSC
• Naranjo
Name: Eugenio Padilla Bonilla
Party: PLN
• Palmares
Name: Luis Carlos Castillo Pacheco
Party: PLN
• Poás
Name: José Joaquín Brenes Vega
Party: PLN
• Orotina
Name: Elimio Jesús Rodríguez Molina
Party: PLN
• San Carlos
Name: Alfredo Córdoba Soro
Party: PLN
• Alfaro Ruiz
Name: Marco Vinicio Rodríguez Muñoz
Party: PLN
• Valverde Vega
Name: Víctor Manuel Rojas
Party: PUSC
• Upala
Name: Juan Bosco Acevedo Hurtado
Party: PLN
• Los Chiles
Name: Santiago Millon Robleto
Party: PLN
• Guatuso
Name: Fidel Condega Montiel
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 11
PUSC: 3
Solidaridad Ramonense: 1
FUENTE: TSE
Autor: Writer
~ 04/12/06
The votes will really count in the municipal elections, as yesterday only 23.7% of the eligible voters show up despite generally good weather throughout the country.
The soccer playoffs, Christmas shopping, apathy from parties and the lack of funding for mayoral campaigns were all signaled as culprits for the low turnout. Oscar Fonseca, Chief Magistrate of the TSE called on the legislature to change the date of the municipal elections, as well as to provide funding for the campaigns.
The manual vote count will begin Tuesday, partial, preliminary results by city can be seen on the TSE web page:
Autor: Writer
In the second leg of the quarterfinal matchups the big story was the victory of the “Southern Warriors” Perez Zeledon over Heredia. Heredia won the first leg at home 3-0 and should have had an easy time moving on to the second round, but a gutsy second half performance allowed Perez to take a 4-1 victory in regulation, which tied the global score and forced overtime and eventually an intense penalty shoot out, which Perez won 7-6.
La Liga dominated Brujas in the other Sunday afternoon match, winning 4-0 to advance 5-0 on the global scoreboard.
Sunday morning was a festival in Puntarenas. With fans still celebrating the UNCAF title, the home team put in a solid performance, even after a dubios red card for Max Sanchez left them with only 10 men for most of the second half. The 1-0 win at home combined with last weeks 1-0 victory in Cartago put the “Pacific Pearls” into the semis.
Saturday night Saprissa lost to San Carlos at home 2-1, but still coasted into the semis by virtue of last week’s 3-0 win in San Carlos.
Next Sunday, Saprissa will visit Puntarenas to open the elimination round, with the game scheduled for 11 am. Alajuela will head south to take on the warriors at 4 pm.